![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/american-kestrel-4105-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"american-kestrel-4105-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nIn fact it’s one of the\u00a0largest voles\u00a0I’ve\u00a0seen (don’t worry, there’s nothing graphic here).<\/p>\n
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1\/5000, f\/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n I found this fierce little falcon one year ago yesterday at Farmington Bay. Here he had picked the vole up with his\u00a0bill and at the time I assumed his intent was to fly off with it while carrying it that way. But a few seconds after this shot was taken he apparently changed\u00a0his mind and tucked the vole back under his left foot. Then instead of beginning his meal as I expected him to he just gave me\u00a0serious stink eye for a while and\u00a0eventually flew off with it in his\u00a0talons.<\/p>\n I quite like this photo for the good look at both falcon and prey, they’re both sharp, the light angle works,\u00a0I think the bits of snow on top of the post add to the appeal of the image and the behavior is interesting and\u00a0at least slightly unusual.<\/p>\n I don’t remember ever seeing a kestrel in flight\u00a0with small mammal prey in its bill. Instead they always\u00a0seem to carry them in their talons. So maybe he didn’t intend to fly off with it in his\u00a0bill, but if not I have to wonder why he picked it up in the first place.<\/p>\n Sometimes I wish I could read their\u00a0crafty (and often devious)\u00a0little\u00a0minds.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In fact it’s one of the largest voles I’ve seen (don’t worry, there’s nothing graphic here).<\/p>\n